This application is a non-provisional application of previously filed U.S. provisional application No. 62/529,535 which was filed on Jul. 7, 2017.
This invention pertains to hand-held survival tools and in particular, storage of small survival items and firestarters.
While venturing into the wilderness, it is crucial to have at least a minimum amount of survival items on hand. Should a situation arise where one finds themself lost in the wilderness, having a small stash of survival items can mean the difference between life and death. Having a store of survival items on hand is not enough though. These survival items need to be reliable, high performing, and easy to operate.
Today, survival kits are available in a myriad of shapes and sizes; all of which generally contain similar survival items stored within some sort of storage vessel. A handy and popular version being the cylindrical waterproof cases for which someone can store matches, medication, fishing hooks, etc. Others are simply a plastic box stuffed with survival items. The downside to these, is that the containers have a very limited amount of storage space.
Of all the survival items an individual may carry into the wilderness, a reliable means of making fire is absolutely indispensable. In certain circumstances, one night spent in the wilderness without fire can be deadly. Therefore, whatever means the user decides to use in creating fire, it must be easy to operate, functional, and highly reliable. There are numerous fire starting devices available: matches, waterproof matches, cigarette lighters, barbeque lighters, flint and steel, and of course the ferrocerium rod and scraper. Although these items may be capable of creating fire, all of these fire starting devices have intrinsic flaws. Matches do not work if they get wet. Waterproof matches work when wet, but still can only light a limited number of fires. Cigarette lighters and barbeque lighters consume fuel and are notorious for mechanical failure. Flint and steel, although impervious to water is very difficult to use. The ferrocerium rod and scraper, although simple, durable, and capable of lighting a lifetime of fires, can be quite small, making it difficult to use and offering little or no ability to store tinder, and the process of quickly striking the scraper against the stationary flint rod often results in the user knocking over the tinder pile and/or generating sparks that are difficult to direct into the tinder pile.
After looking at the shortcomings of available fire making devices, including the ferrocerium rod and scraper, along with the importance of carrying small survival items; it is apparent that there is an unfulfilled need for a single ergonomic device that combines the flint rod and scraper's simple design and reliability, with a storage container having a maximized amount of storage space for tinder and small survival items.
The invention disclosed herein fulfills all of the unfulfilled needs listed above.